(Club Colours - Red-Whites in German), FCS (Abbrivation of the name by using only the first letters of the club name), l'Alto (The high - due to the northern position of the club, or due to the fact that Bolzano is in the Alps, or the first word of the Region's name 'Alto-Adige'), Altoatesini
(People from the Region of 'Alto-Adige'), Tirolesi / Tiroler (Tyroleans - People from Tirol in the Italian / German language), Sudtirolesi / Südtiroler (South Tyroleans - People from South Tirol in the Italian / German language).
HISTORY:Founded on the 26 April 1974 in Bressanone as 'Sport Verein Milland (Sports Club Milland - Milland is a small quarter of Bressanone) by a group of players who although members of the best two football teams of Bressanone ('SSV Brixen' and 'AC Bressanone') could not find a place in the first eleven to play. The club practiced five sports - football, table tennis, fistball, handball and canoeing, with the football section starting functioning effectively in full in 1977 when they became part of the Italian Football Federation. In 1995 the football section took the name 'Football Club Südtirol-Alto Adige' and separated from 'Sport Verein Milland'. In 2000 the club moved to Bolzano and changed the name to the current one, 'Fussball Club Südtirol'
HONOURS: Nil.
FULL NAME: Sunderland Association Football Club.
NICKNAMES: The Black Cats (Club Mascot - After a black
cat who made the old Sunderland Stadium his home in the 1900 -
1910s. It could also be related to the 'Black Cat Battery', an Artillery
Battery based on Sunderland's River Wear during the Napoleonic Wars, taking its name from the legend of volunteer soldier Joshua Dunn who heard the wailing of a black cat in 1805 while on duty), The Rokerites or Rokermen (After their Old Stadium, named Roker Park), The Light Brigade (After their New Stadium, named Stadium of Light), SoL (An abbreviation of the Stadium of Light title which is derived from the importance of light for miners, especially through their Davy's Lamp), The Miners (Sunderland is famous for its former coal mining industry). The Mackems, Makems or Mak'ems (The nickname of the residents of the city of Sunderland), Wearsiders (The nickname of all residents of the city of Sunderland, situated near the mouth of the River Wear).
HISTORY:Founded by a Scottish schoolmaster in 1879 as 'Sunderland and District Teachers Association Football Club' but a year later, in 1880, it changed to its current name 'Sunderland Association Football Club' when non-teachers players were allowed to join the club. In 1887, there was a schism by local players who were against the employment of professional non-local players. They left the club and founded the 'Sunderland Albion Football Club'.
FA Cup, 2 - 1937, 1973. FA Charity / Community Shield, 1 - 1936.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS:Football World Championship, 1 - 1895.
FULL NAME:Spes Football Club
NICKNAMES: Spes di Genova (Spes of Genova - There were other
clubs in other cities and towns named Spes, but only this one in Genova)
HISTORY:Founded in 1913 as 'Spes Football Club'. In 1928 the name was changed to 'Spes Gruppo Aziende Bensa' but a year later it returned to its original name 'Spes Football Club'. It was declared bankrupt in 1931 and was disbanded. Throughout its existence the club was commonly known more with its nickname 'Spes di Genova' rather than its proper name.
HONOURS: Nil
FORZA
AZZURRI
STATISTICS
www.forza-azzurri.info
A web site by PIERRE BONELLO
Profile lists of all the Clubs starting with the letters Sh, T and U that gave players to the Italian National team
PROFILES Sh-U
Clubs:
SPAL
FULL NAME:S.P.A.L. (The name is abbreviated from the first letters
of each word of the old original name 'Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor').
NICKNAMES: Biancazzurri (Club Colours - White Blues), Gli Estensi
(The Duchy of Ferrara was ruled by the House of Este from 1146 to 1597), Spallini (Spals, the people of SPAL - The name of the club in plural).
HISTORY:Founded in March 1907 as 'Ars et Labor' a religious - cultural section within the 'Oratorio' of the 'Società Salesiana di San Giovanni Bosco' in Ferrara, becoming 'Circolo Ars et Labor' in 1909 when sports was included. In May 1910 the football section was established under the name 'Ferrara Foot-Ball Club' and in 1913 the whole sports section became independent as 'Societa Polisportiva Ars et Labor'. After WW I, in 1919, the football section went in line and began using the same name as the mother association 'Societa Polisportiva Ars et Labor' or 'SPAL' in abbreviation. During WW II (1939 - 1945) the name was changed to 'Associazione Calcio Ferrara', but soon after returned to 'Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor'. In 2005 the club was declared bankrupt but was re-founded immediately as 'SPAL 1907', however this was repeated in 2012 but this time the new re-founded club was named 'Real SPAL'. A year later, in 2013 the club merged with 'Associazione Calcio Giacomense' (founded in 1967) to form 'S.P.A.L. 2013', a name that was changed to the current one, 'S.P.A.L.' in 2018.
NATIONAL HONOURS: Collare d'Oro al Merito Sportivo, 1 - 2019. Stella d'Oro al Merito Sportivo, 1 - 1974.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: Coppa dell'Amicizia Italo - Svizzera, 1 - 1968.
CITY: Ferrara
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 4 GAMES: 7 SCORERS: 1 GOALS: 1
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
3 FONTANESI Alberto - A, 1952(d)
2 BUGATTI Ottavio - G, 1952(d)
1 ESPOSITO Salvatore - M, 2022(d)
1 LAZZARI Manuel - M, 2018(d)
SCORERS
1 FONTANESI Alberto
Alberto FONTANESI
First player in Azzurro
Most games in Azzurro
Only scorer in Azzurro
CAPTAINS
No Spal player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
BONIFAZI Kevin - D
COLOMBO Lorenzo - A
DALLE MURA Christian - D
GRASSI Alberto - M
MERET Alex - G
MURGIA Alessandro - M
PETAGNA Andrea - A
VALOTI Mattia - M
VARNIER Marco - D
VICARI Francesco - D
Ottavio BUGATTI
First player in Azzurro
SPES DI GENOVA
CITY: Genova
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 2 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
2 DE NARDO Gracco - D, 1920(d)
Gracco
DE NARDO
Only player in Azzurro
SCORERS
No Spes di Genova player ever scored in Azzurro
CAPTAINS
No Spes di Genova player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
STUTTGART
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 2 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
2 MOLINARO Cristian - D, 2010(d)
Cristiano
MOLINARO
Only player in Azzurro
SCORERS
No Stuttgart player ever scored in Azzurro
CAPTAINS
No Stuttgart player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
Go to other
CLUBS pages:
SHAKHTAR DONETSK
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 2 SCORERS: 1 GOALS: 2
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
2 LUCARELLI Cristiano - A, 2007
Cristiano
LUCARELLI
Only player in Azzurro
SCORERS
2 LUCARELLI Cristiano
CAPTAINS
No Shakhtar Donetsk player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
SIENA
CITY: Siena
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 1 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
1 GALLOPPA Daniele - M, 2009(d)
SCORERS
No Siena player ever
scored in Azzurro
CAPTAINS
No Siena player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
CURCI Gianuca - G
DESTRO Mattia - A
Gianluca
CURCI
Daniele
GALLOPPA
Only Player in Azzurro
SPEZIA
CITY: La Spezia
PLAYERS
1 SCARABELLO Luigi - M, 1936(d)
SCORERS
No Spezia player ever scored in Azzurro
Luigi SCARABELLO
Only player in Azzurro
AZZURRO RECORDS: Spezia is the only club who gave players to the Italian National team from the Serie C and only from the Serie C. Luigi SCARABELLO won the Olympic Gold Medal when the Italian National Team won the 1936 Olympics Football Tournament and is the only player to play in Azzurro from a Serie C club.
Mattia
DESTRO
SUNDERLAND
CITY: Sunderland
(England)
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 7 SCORERS: 1 GOALS: 1
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
7 GIACCHERINI Emanuele - M, 2013
SCORERS
1 GIACCHERINI Emanuele
Emanuele
GIACCHERINI
Only player in Azzurro
CAPTAINS
No Sunderland player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
BORINI Fabio - A
SOUTHAMPTON
FULL NAME: Southampton Football Club.
NICKNAMES: The Saints (Du to the fact that the club was
founded as a Church Football Team).
HISTORY:Founded on the 21 November 1885 by members
of the St Mary's Church of England Young Men's Association (St. Mary's Y.M.A.) as 'St. Mary's Young Men's Association Football Club'. In 1887 they changed the name to 'St. Mary's Football Club' and in 1894 they changed it to 'Southampton St. Mary's'. In 1897 they adapted the name 'Southampton Football Club' which is still used today.
NATIONAL HONOURS: FA Cup, 1 - 1976.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: Trofeo Ciudad de Vigo, 1 - 1983.
CITY: Southampton
(England)
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 3 GAMES: 26 SCORERS: 3 GOALS: 9
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
17 PELLE Graziano - A, 2014 (d)
5 GABBIADINI Manolo - A, 2017
4 OSVALDO Pablo D. - A, 2013 (o)
SCORERS
.7 PELLE Graziano
1 GABBIADINI Manolo
1 OSVALDO Pablo D.
CAPTAINS
No Southampton player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
AZZURRO RECORDS: Southampton (together with English club Chelsea) is the foreign club who produced most Azzurro Scorers and the first foreign club to give an Oriundo scorer to the Italian National team. Pablo Daniel OSVALDO is the first Oriundo player to score in Azzurro from a foreign club. Graziano PELLE is the Azzurro player who scored most goals in Azzurro from a Foreign Club and scored most goals from the players who played with the Italian National team only from a foreign Clubs. He is also the only Azzuro to score his Debut goal from a Foreign Club.
Nicola
BELLOMO
Nicola
LEALI
Graziano
PELLE
Most Games in Azzurro
Most Goals in Azzurro
Pablo Daniel
OSVALDO
First player in Azzurro
First Goal in Azzurro
LEGEND OF LISTS: Number of Games / Goals / Captained Games, Surname, Name, Position, Year of first game in Azzurro from the Club.
POSITIONS: G - Goalkeeper, D - Defender, M - Midfielder, A - Attacker.
ABBREVIATIONS: (d) - Debut - Played his first game in Azzurro in that year and with that club.
(o) - Oriundo
UNUSED CALL-UPS: Statistics covered only from Azzurro Game 299 (25 September 1971) till TODAY. It includes also the Squads for the World Cups: 1970, 1966, 1962, 1954, 1950, 1938, 1934; European Nations Cup: 1968; Olympic Games Football Tournaments: 1952, 1948, 1936, 1928, 1924, 1920, 1912.
The Players displayed for each club are not necessary the best or most memorable players from the club, but statistically they are the main players. Displayed are mainly, the first players to play in Azzurro, score in Azzurro and Captain the Azzurri from the club and the players who played the most in Azzurro, scored the most in Azzurro and Captained the most the Azzurri from the Club. Where space permitted other significant statistical players from the club were displayed.
CITY: Donetsk
(Ukraine)
SHANDONG TAISHAN
FULL NAME: Shandong Taishan Zuqiu Julebu (Shandong
Taishan Football Club)
NICKNAMES: Tàishān Duì (Team of Mount Tai - After the most
important mountain of the five sacred mountains of Taoism. Mount Tai is
found in the province of Shandong).
HISTORY:Founded on the 10 April 1956 by the local Shandong Province Government as 'Shandong Province Football Team'. In 1993 the club became professional and changed the name to 'Shandong Taishan Football Club'. But the name continued to change, sometimes to reflect their main sponsor: 1994 changed to 'Shandong Jinan Taishan Football Club', 1995 to 'Jinan Taishan Football Club', 1996 to 'Jinan Taishan Jiangjun Football Club' , 1998 to 'Shandong Luneng Taishan Football Club', until 2021 when they returned to the old name 'Shandong Taishan Football Club', the current name.
NATIONAL HONOURS:Chinese Champions, 5 - 1999, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2021. Chinese Cup, 8 - 1995, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2014, 2020, 2021, 2022. Chinese Super Cup, 1 - 2015. Chinese Super League Cup, 1 - 2004.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 3 SCORERS: 1 GOALS: 2
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
3 PELLE Graziano - A, 2016
Graziano
PELLE
Only player in Azzurro
SCORERS
2 PELLE Graziano
CAPTAINS
No Shandong Luneng Taishan player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
CITY: Jinan
(China)
SHANGHAI SHENHUA
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 5 SCORERS: 1 GOALS: 3
CAPTAINS: 1 CAPTAINED GAMES: 1
PLAYERS
5 EL SHAARAWY Stephan - A, 2019
Stephan
EL SHAARAWY
Only player in
Azzurro
SCORERS
3 EL SHAARAWY Stephan
CAPTAINS
1 EL SHAARAWY Stephan
CITY: Shanghai
(China)
FULL NAME: Shanghai Shenhua Zuqiu Julebu (Shanghai
Shenhua Football Club).
NICKNAMES: Shen Hua (The Flower of Shanghai).
HISTORY:Founded on the 1 November 1951 by the local Shanghai Province Government as 'East China Football Club', but in 1957, as football in China started to expand, the name was changed to 'Shanghai Football Club' to reflect more the city. In 1993 the club became professional and changed the name to 'Shanghai Shenhua Football Club'. But the name continued to change, sometimes to reflect their main sponsor, in 2001 it changed to 'Shanghai Shenhua Top Football Club' and later that same year to 'Shanghai Shenhua SVA SMEG Football Club'. In 2007 the club merged with their rival club 'Shanghai United F.C.' when both clubs became owned by the same owner and changed the name to 'Shanghai Shenhua United Football Club'. In 2014 the name was changed to 'Shanghai Greenland Football Club' and later on that year to 'Shanghai Greenland Shenhua Football Club'. In 2021 they returned to the old name 'Shanghai Shenhua Football Club', the current name.
NATIONAL HONOURS:Chinese Champions, 3 - 1961, 1962, 1995. (Shanghai Shenhua won the Championship of 2003 but the title was revoked for malpractices). Chinese Cup, 6 - 1956, 1991, 1998, 2017, 2019, 2023. Chinese Super Cup, 5 - 1996, 1999, 2002, 2024, 2025.
NATIONAL HONOURS: A3 Champions (East Asian Champions) Cup, 1 - 2007.
FULL NAME: Associazione Calcio Robur Siena 1904
NICKNAMES: Bianconeri (Club Colours - White and Blacks), Robur
(The original name of the football section of the club and part of the current name.
In Latin it means hard wood or strength)
HISTORY: Founded as a sports club in 1904 by members of the 'Società Sportiva Mens Sana In Corpore Sano' under the name 'Societa Studio e Divertimento'. In 1908 it opened its football section with the name 'Societa Sportiva Robur' and in 1933 the name was changed to 'Associazione Calcio Siena'. In 2014 the club was declared bankrupt but was immediately re-founded as 'Robur Siena Società Sportiva Dilettantistica' and a year later, in 2015, the name changed to 'Robur Siena'. In 2020 the club became disfunctional and was disbanded but was again re-founded as 'Associazione Calcio Noah Siena 1904 Società Sportiva Dilettantistica', which was shortened to 'Associazione Calcio Noah Siena 1904' a year later, in 2021. However, in 2022 the name was changed to the current one, 'Associazione Calcio Robur Siena 1904'
NATIONAL HONOURS: Nil
Manolo
GABBIADINI
AZZURRO RECORDS:Salvatore ESPOSITO is the latest Azzurro to play with the Italian National team from the Serie B and is also one of only seven players to play in Azzurro only from the Serie B
Salvatore
ESPOSITO
Manuel
LAZZARI
FULL NAME: Spezia Calcio
NICKNAMES: Bianconeri (Club Colours - White and Black), Aquile
(Club Mascot - Eagles), Aquilotti (Club Mascot - Young Eagles).
HISTORY: On the 10 October 1906 the football section of the 'Sport Club Spezia' was created by Swiss nationals living and working in Spezia. This led to the creation of the 'Foot Ball Club Spezia' on the 20 November 1911. In 1935 the name was changed to 'Associazione Calcio Spezia' but because of WW II, the club suspended all activities in 1943. However all its players joined the newly founded club 'VV.FF. Spezia', created by the 'Gruppo Sportivo 42º Corpo dei Vigili del Fuoco' (Sports Group 42nd Corp of Fire Fighters) to represent La Spezia in the 'War League of Northern Italy'. After the War, in 1945, the 'Associazione Calcio Spezia' become functional again and in 1954 the club merged with 'Gruppo Sportivo Arsenal Spezia' (founded in 1919) to create 'Associazione Calcio Spezia-Arsenal', but a year later the name was changed to 'Foot Ball Club Spezia 1906'. In 1985 the name was changed to the old name 'Associazione Calcio Spezia' but in 1995 the club was declared bankrupt and was immediately re-founded as 'Spezia Calcio 1906'. In 2008 the club again had financial problems and was thus re-founded under the name to 'Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Spezia Calcio 2008' but a year later, in 2009, the name was changed to the current one, 'Spezia Calcio'.
NATIONAL HONOURS: Winners of the 1943/44 'War League of Northern Italy' as 'VV.FF. Spezia' (Vigili del Fuoco di La Spezia - Fire Fighters of La Spezia) after the official National Italian League was suspended due to the WW II. This league was never accepted as an official National League but on the 22 January 2002 the Italian Federation declared the 'Vigili del Fuoco di La Spezia' the 1943/44 Honorary Italian Champions.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 1 GAMES: 1 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
CAPTAINS
No Spezia player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
BELLOMO Nicola - M
LEALI Nicola - G
RICCI Matteo - M
SALCEDO Eddie A. - A
Matteo
RICCI
CITY: Stuttgart
(Germany)
Fabio
BORINI
FULL NAME: Unione Sportiva Torinese
HISTORY:Founded in 1899 probably as a multi sport club
under the name 'Unione Sportiva Torinese', and on the 26
November 1906 it made a complete re-founding, probably giving more importance to the football section of the club. In October 1914 it merged with the 'Associazione Calciatori Piemontesi' (founded in March 1914) but kept the same name 'Unione Sportiva Torinese'. In 1916 it took over all rights of the club 'Vigor Football Club' (founded in 1908) who disbanded after financial problems. Active in the Federation Cup of 1916, Coppa Piamonte of 1917, the Italian National Championships of 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 and the Coppa Italia of 1922. The football section was declared defunct in 1923 but a 'Polisportiva U.S. Torinese' continued participating in other sports until this day.
HONOURS: Nil.
FULL NAME: Unione Sportiva Milanese.
NICKNAMES: Scacchi (Club Colours - Chequered, also means the
game of Chess that is played on a chequered board).
HISTORY: Founded at the Caffè Verdi on the 12 January 1902 as 'Unione Sportiva Milanese' by a group of friends who used to meet each evening to play and practice some sports. The football section was created in 1903 and in 1904 it took over the players of the defunct 'Società per l'Educazione Fisica Mediolanum' known also as 'SEF Ginnastica Mediolanum' (founded in 1896). In 1928 it was forced by the Fascist Government to merge with 'Football Club Internazionale' (founded in 1908) to create the 'Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana', today's 'Inter'. However, in 1932 the Government ordered the reversal of the merger and all trophies and the rights of the old club were returned to the club officials, but the club was not in position to be very active and did not participate in any sports. After WW II, in 1945, the club was re-founded under the same old name, but the effects of the merger were still very real and the club could not function properly and thus was declared defunct in 1946.
HISTORY: Founded on the 3 December 1906 as 'Foot ball Club Torino'
after the merger of 'Football Club Torinese' (founded in 1894) and a group of
dissidents from 'Foot-Ball Club Juventus'. In 1936, in view of the fascist law prohibiting names in foreign languages, the name was changed to 'Associazione Calcio Torino'. In 1943, during WW II, in agreement with the owners of rivals 'Juventus', the Agnelli family, the players of Torino formed part of the 'Gruppo Sportivo FIAT' and thus were saved from going to war. During this time the club changed name to 'Torino FIAT', however at the end of the war, in 1945, all returned as was previously including the name ' Associazione Calcio Torino'. On the 4 May 1949 the whole team perished in a tragic air accident known as the 'Tragedia di Superga' when the airplane crashed in the dome of the Basilica of Superga on the outskirts of Torino and all aboard died. In 1958, the name changed to 'Associazione Calcio Talmone Torino' to reflect their new sponsors, but this lasted only one year and in 1959 the name returned yet again to 'Associazione Calcio Torino'. In 1977 the name was changed to 'Torino Calcio', but in 2005 the club was declared bankrupt and was immediately re-founded first as 'Società Civile Campo Torino' than as 'Torino Football Club', the current name of the club.
NATIONAL HONOURS:Italian Champions, 7 - 1927/28, 1942/43, 1945/46, 1946/47, 1947/48, 1948/49, 1975/76 (Torino won the Championship of 1926/27 but the title was removed for malpractices). Coppa Italia, 5 - 1935/36, 1942/43, 1967/68, 1970/71, 1992/93. Collare d'Oro al Merito Sportivo, 1 - 2016. Stella d'Oro al Merito Sportivo, 1 - 1969.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS:Mitropa Cup, 1 - 1991.
CITY: Torino
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 79 GAMES: 579 SCORERS: 19 GOALS: 108
CAPTAINS: 5CAPTAINED GAMES: 37
Domenico CAPELLO
First player in Azzurro
TRIESTINA
FULL NAME: Unione Sportiva Triestina Calcio 1918
NICKNAMES:Rossoalabardati (Club Colours - Red with Halberd),
Alabardati (People with Halberds - Halberd is a type of pole weapon or lance.
The Corseque type is the symbol of the City of Trieste deriving from the legend of San Sergio who prophesised that when he is martyred a Halberd will fall from the sky to the main square of Trieste, as actually happened in 336 AD), Giuliani (People from the Gulia part of the Venezia-
Gulia Region), Muli (Mules - an offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. The people of Trieste are called Mules probably because of their hard-headedness, similar to that of a Mule), Unione (The Union - The first word of the club name). Greghi (Greeks - In 1719 a large Greek community settled in Trieste and in the 1920's they were heavily involved with the club).
HISTORY:Founded at the caffè Battisti on the 18 December 1918 as 'Unione Sportiva Triestina' from the merger of 'Club Sportivo Ponziana' (founded in 1912) and 'Foot-Ball Club Trieste'. In 1981 the name was changed to 'Unione Sportiva Triestina Calcio' and in 1994 the club was declared bankrupt but was immediately re-founded as 'Nuova Unione Sportiva Triestina Calcio'. This happened again in 2012, when the name of the re-founded club was 'Unione Triestina 2012 Società Sportiva Dilettantistica' and in 2016 when the name selected was 'Società Sportiva Dilettantistica Unione Sportiva Triestina Calcio 1918'. A year later, in 2017, the name was changed to the current one 'Unione Sportiva Triestina Calcio 1918'.
NATIONAL HONOURS: Stella d'Oro al Merito Sportivo, 1 - 1979.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: Anglo-Italian Cup, 1 - 1980.
(Club Mascot - Little Zebras), Friulani (People from the region of the Friuli).
HISTORY: Founded on the 30 November 1896 as 'Societa Udinese di Ginnastica e Scherma'. On the 5 July 1911 some members founded the football section of the club under the name 'Associazione Calcio Udinese'. During WW I all sports activities of the club were stopped and at the end of the war, in 1919, the ''Societa Udinese di Ginnastica e Scherma' was re-
founded as 'Associazione Sportiva Udinese'. However in 1923 the club had big financial difficulties and thus on the 24 August 1923 the footbal section went it's separate way under the old name 'Associazione Calcio Udinese.' In 1978 the name was changed to the current one - 'Udinese Calcio'.
NATIONAL HONOURS: Collare d'Oro al Merito Sportivo, 1 - 2011. Stella al merito sportivo, 1 - 1950.
AZZURRO RECORDS: Pioneer Club - Domenico CAPELLO and Enrico DEBERNARDI played in the first match of the Azzurri. One Torino player won the 1982 World Cup with the Italian National team: Giuseppe DOSSENA, whilst three others finished Runner-Up World Champions: 1970 - Fabrizio POLETTI, Giorgio PUIA; 1994 - Roberto MUSSI. Torino is the second most Club with Italian Fourth Place players in the World Cup - 6: 1978 - Francesco GRAZIANI, Eraldo PECCI,
Paolino PULICI, Claudio SALA, Patrizio SALA,
Renato ZACCARELLI. Four Torino players won the European Nations Championships, thus becoming European Champions: in 1968 Giorgio FERRINI and
Lido VIERI; and in 2020 Andrea BELOTTI and
Salvatore SIRIGU. Angelo Obinze OGBONNA formed part of the Azzurri squad that finished runner-up European Champions in 2012, whilst three other Torino players finished in the fourth place: 1980 - Francesco GRAZIANI and Renato ZACCARELLI, 1988 - Roberto CRAVERO who never played with the Italian National team although he formed part of the Azzurri Squad.
Alessio CERCI formed part of the Azzurri squad that finished third in the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013. Three Torino players won the Olympic Bronze Medal when the Italian National Team finished third in the 1928 Olympics Football Tournament: Adolfo BALONCIERI,
Antonio JANNI and Gino ROSSETTI whilst five
others won the 1930 Coppa Internazionale with the Azzurri: Adolfo BALONCIERI, Enrico COLOMBARI,
Antonio JANNI, Julio LIBONATTI and Gino ROSSETTI. Julio LIBONATTI formed part of the Azzurri Squad that finished second in the 1932 Coppa Internazionale. Alessandro BUONGIORNO formed part of the Azzurro squad that finished third in the UEFA Nations League of 2022/23. Enrico DEBERNARDI is one of the first Azzurri players to score in his debut match and the Italo-Argentinian Julio LIBONATTI is the Oriundo who scored most goals with the Italian National team, 15 goals. He is also the first Oriundo to play with two National Teams and the first Argentinian Oriundo to play with the National Team of both Argentina and Italy.
Adolfo BALONCIERI was the Azzurro Captain of the Italian National Squad that finished Third in the Football Tournament of the 1928 Olympic Games and also Captain (in 5 of the 8 matches) of the Italian National Team when the Azzurri won the 1930 Coppa Internazionale. Adolfo BALONCIERI also scored the Azzurro Goal number 100 whilst Francesco GRAZIANI
scored the Azzurro Goal number 700. Daniele PADELLI is the joint second most Unused Call-Up Azzurro player who never played with the Italian National Team (10 Unused Call-ups). Emiliano MORETTI is the oldest Azzurro debutant at the age of 33 years, 6 months, 7 days.
No U.S. Milanese player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
SOFFIENTINI Vincenzo - G
Arturo BOIOCCHI
First player in Azzurro
Only scorer in Azzurro
Franco VARISCO
First player in Azzurro
U.S. TORINESE
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 2 GAMES: 2 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
1 BERARDO Felice - A, 1920
1 MATTEA Angelo - M, 1921
SCORERS
No U.S. Torinese player ever scored in Azzurro
Felice BERARDO
First player in Azzurro
CAPTAINS
No U.S. Torinese player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
BOGLIETTI Romolo - M (o)
Angelo MATTEA
Vincenzo IAQUINTA
Franco CAUSIO
Antonio
DI NATALE
Most games in Azzurro
Most goals in Azzurro
Only Captain in Azzurro
Giorgio
PUIA
Fabrizio
POLETTI
Roberto
MUSSI
Eraldo
PECCI
Patrizio SALA
Roberto ROSATO
Matteo
DARMIAN
Aldo
OLIVIERI
Giuseppe
ALIBERTI
Alessandro
BUONGIORNO
Guglielmo
TREVISAN
Giuseppe
GREZAR
Bruno
CHIZZO
AZZURRO RECORDS: Two Udinese players won the World Cup with the Italian National Team: 1982 - Franco CAUSIO; 2006 - Vincenzo IAQUINTA. Two others formed part of the Azzurri Squad that finished Runner-up Europen Champions: 2000 - Stefano FIORE, 2012 - Antonio DI NATALE. Fabio QUAGLIARELLA scored Azzurro Goal number 1200. Simone PAFUNDI is the second youngest debutant in Azzurro at 16 years, 8 months, 2 days.
Fabio
QUAGLIARELLA
Simone
PEPE
SCORERS
20 GRAZIANI Francesco
18 BALONCIERI Adolfo
15 LIBONATTI Julio
12 BELOTTI Andrea
9 ROSSETTI Gino
5 GABETTO Guglielmo
5 MENTI Romeo
5 PULICI Paolino
3 LOIK Ezio
3 MAZZOLA Valentino
2 CARAPELLESE Riccardo
2 FERRARIS Pietro
2 MERONI Luigi
2 ZACCARELLI Renato
1 CASTIGLIANO Eusebio
1 DEBERNARDI Enrico
1 DOSSENA Giuseppe
1 JANNI Antonio
1 MAROSO Virgilio
CAPTAINS
24 BALONCIERI Adolfo
5 CARAPELLESE Riccardo
5 MAZZOLA Valentino
2 FERRARIS Pietro
1 SIRIGU Salvatore
UNUSED CALL-UPS
ABBIATI Christian - G
BARRECA Antonio - D
BENASSI Marco - M
BONIFAZI Kevin - D
CALVI Giuseppe - A
CASADEI Cesare - M
CRAVERO Roberto - D
CRIPPA Massimo - M
CROTTI Enrico - A
MANDRAGORA Rolando - M
OSSOLA Franco - A
PADELLI Daniele - G
PARIGINI Vittorio - A
PELLEGRI Pietro - A
QUAGLIARELLA Fabio - A
SELVAGGI Franco - A
ZECCHINI Luciano - D
Gaetano
D'AGOSTINO
Angelo Obinze
OGBONNA
Enrico
COLOMBARI
Julio LIBONATTI
Valentino MAZZOLA
Alessio
CERCI
Guglielmo
GABETTO
Riccardo CARAPELLESE
Emiliano
MORETTI
Romeo
MENTI
TORONTO FC
FULL NAME: Toronto Football Club
NICKNAMES: Reds (Club Colours), TFC (The Initials of the club name).
HISTORY:Founded in 2006 as 'Toronto Football Club' after a public online consultation for the name between 'Toronto Northmen', 'Inter Toronto Football Club', 'Toronto Reds' and 'Toronto Football Club'.
NATIONAL HONOURS:Canadian Champions, 8 - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020. USA / Canada Champions (MLS Cup), 1 - 2017. MLS Supporters' Shield, 1 - 2017.
No Toronto FC player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
Andrea
BELOTTI
Salvatore
SIRIGU
Daniele
PADELLI
Samuele
RICCI
CITY: Toronto
(Canada)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS
FULL NAME: Tottenham Hotspur Football Club ('Tottenham' is
the name of a town in the North of London. The word 'Hotspur' comes from
Harry Hotspur who was given the nickname Hotspur as he was an impulsive
and passionate man who dug in his spurs (spiked wheels at the back of a
shoe) to make his horse go faster as he charged in battles.
NICKNAMES: Lilywhites (Club Colours - White as the flower Lily), Spurs (From the name Hotspur - Spiked wheels at the back of a shoe), Coys (Abbreviation of the fans chant 'Come On You Spurs').
HISTORY:Founded on the 5 September 1882 as 'Hotspur Football Club' by a group of schoolboys members of the 'Hotspur Cricket Club' in order to play sports during the winter months when cricket was not played much. In April 1884 the club was renamed "Tottenham Hotspur Football Club" to avoid confusion with another London club named Hotspur.
NATIONAL HONOURS:English Champions, 2 - 1950/51, 1960/61. FA Cup, 8 - 1900/01, 1920/21, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1966/67, 1980/81, 1981/82, 1990/91. League Cup, 4 - 1970/71, 1972/73, 1998/99, 2007/08.
FA Charity / Community Shield, 7 - 1921, 1951, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1981, 1991.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: UEFA Cup Winners Cup, 1 - 1963. UEFA (Europa) Cup, 3 - 1972, 1984, 2025.Anglo-Italian League Cup, 1 - 1971.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 2 GAMES: 16 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
Guglielmo
VICARIO
PLAYERS
12 UDOGIE Destiny I. - D, 2023(d)
4 VICARIO Guglielmo - G, 2024(d)
SCORERS
No Tottenham Hotspur player
ever scored in Azzurro
CAPTAINS
No Tottenham Hotspur player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
GOLLINI Pierluigi - G
CITY: London
(England)
AZZURRO RECORDS: Three Triestina players won the 1938 World Cup with the Italian National team:
Gino COLAUSSI,Pietro PASINATI and Bruno CHIZZO
who never played with the Italian National team although he formed part of the Azzurri Squad. Gino COLAUSSI
won also the 1935 Coppa Internazionale with the Azzurri.
By scoring two goals in the 1938 World Cup Final, he became the first European and Italian player to score more than one goal in a World Cup Final and the first Italian player to score more goals than matches played in a World Cup Tournament (4 goals in 3 matches). Piero PASINATI scored Azzurro goal number 300.
AZZURRO RECORDS: Pioneer Club - Mario DE SIMONI, Franco VARISCO and Arturo BOIOCCHI played in the first match of the Azzurri, thus Mario DE SIMONI was the first Azzurro Goalkeeper.
Vincenzo
SOFFIENTINI
CITY: Torino
Romolo
BOGLIETTI
AZZURRO RECORDS: The Italo-Argentine Romolo BOGLIETTI was the first Unused Call-up Oriundo who never played in Azzurro.
Simone
PAFUNDI
Kevin
LASAGNA
SUDTIROL
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 0 GAMES: 0 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
No Sudtirol player ever played
in Azzurro
SCORERS
No Sudtirol player ever scored in Azzurro
Hans
NICOLUSSI
CAVIGLIA
CAPTAINS
No Sudtirol player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
NICOLUSSI CAVIGLIA Hans - M
CITY: Bolzano
TERNANA
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYERS: 0 GAMES: 0 SCORERS: 0 GOALS: 0
CAPTAINS: 0 CAPTAINED GAMES: 0
PLAYERS
No Ternana player ever played
in Azzurro
SCORERS
No Ternana player ever scored in Azzurro
Niccolo
CORRADO
CAPTAINS
No Ternana player ever led the Azzurri as Captain
UNUSED CALL-UPS
CORRADO Niccolo - D
CITY: Terni
FULL NAME: Ternana Calcio
NICKNAMES: Rossoverdi (Club Colours - Red-Greens), Fere (Club
Mascot - Beasts in the Umbrian dialect, referring to Drago Thyrus, a small dragon
of the Wyvern type, having two legs, no hands and a serpentine tail, as shown in the
club's and city coat-of-arms).
HISTORY:Founded on the 2 October 1925 through the merger of 'Terni Football Club' (founded in 1920) and 'Unione Calcistica Ternana' (founded in 1918) as 'Unione Sportiva Terni'. In 1926 the club merged with 'Football Club Terni' to form the 'Unione Sportiva della Società Terni'. However from 1928 onward the club passed through a period of financial difficulties, resulting in a number of re-foundations and name changes - in 1928 to 'Polisportiva Fascista Ternana', in 1929 to 'Terni Foot Ball Club', in 1933 to 'Associazione Calcistica Ternana' and in 1934 to 'Polisportiva Fascista Mario Umberto Borzacchini' named after the Terni race car driver Mario Umberto Baconin Borzacchini who died on the race course of Monza in 1933. After WW II, in 1945, the club was re-founded as 'Società Sportiva Ternana'. In 1970 the name was changed to 'Associazione Calcio Ternana', in 1973 to 'Ternana Calcio' and in 1988 to 'Polisportiva Calcio Ternana'. However in 1993 the club was declared bankrupt but was re-founded immediately as 'Associazione Sportiva Ternana Calcio', reduced to the old 'Ternana Calcio' in 1994. In 2017 the club passed under the directorship of the owner of the private university 'Università degli Studi "Niccolò Cusano" and thus changed the name to 'Ternana Unicusano Calcio', however a year later it returned to the old 'Ternana Calcio', the current name of the club.
NATIONAL HONOURS:Stella d'Argento al Merito Sportivo,1- 1998.
Destiny I.
UDOGIE
First Player in Azzurro
Most Games in
Azzurro
FULL NAME: Futbol'nyj Klub Šachtar Donec'k (Football Club
Minors Donetsk - Donetsk is famous for its industry of Mining, Shakhtar
is the Russian word for Minors).
NICKNAMES: Kroty (Club Mascot - Moles, a small mammal with a subterranean lifestyle and famous for digging, like the Minors), Himyky (Miners in the Ukrainian language).
HISTORY:The club started in September 1911 as a sports club named 'Juzovka' which in the 1920's became 'Lenin Club'. However the football club was officially founded in May 1936 as 'Stachanovec' in memory of the legendary minor 'Aleksej Grigor'evič Stachanov'. In 1946 the club changed its name to 'Šachtyor' and eventually to the current name in the 1990's.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS:UEFA (Europa) Cup, 1 - 2008/09. La Manga Cup, 1 - 2008.
FULL NAME: Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893
(Association for Movement Games Stuttgart 1893)
NICKNAMES: Die Roten (Club Colours - The Reds), Die Schwaben (The
Swabians - Swabia is a historic and linguistic region in Germany which Stuttgart forms part of).
HISTORY:Founded at the hotel Zum Becher on the 9 September 1893 as 'Stuttgarter Fußballverein (Stuttgart football club)', practicing also Rugby with football. In 1912 it merged with 'Kronen-Club Cannstatt' (founded in 1897) as 'Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart (Association for Movement Games Stuttgart)', the current name of the club, with the founding year of the club '1893' being included later on.
NATIONAL HONOURS:German Champions, 5 - 1950, 1952, 1984, 1992, 2007. German Cup, 4 - 1954, 1958, 1997, 2025.German Super Cup, 1 - 1992.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS:UEFA Intertoto Cup, 3 - 2000, 2002, 2008.
